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How The FBI Took Down New York's Most Notorious Mafia Bosses | Our History

Our History・50 minutes read

The FBI targeted the heads of the five mafia families in New York City in the 1980s, using the RICO law to convict them of criminal conspiracy, with a focus on Vincent Gigante's elaborate scheme to avoid prosecution by pretending to be mentally ill. The investigation ultimately led to Gigante's conviction and the dismantling of the Bonano family, significantly disrupting the Mafia's operations in New York.

Insights

  • The FBI's success in dismantling the Mafia in New York involved targeting key figures like Carmine Persico and Paul Castellano, using the RICO law to secure convictions and unraveling complex schemes like Vincent Gigante's feigned mental illness to evade prosecution.
  • The meticulous investigative work of agents like Pritchard, Salad, and McCaffrey, involving thorough analysis of financial records, led to crucial breakthroughs such as exposing Joe Messino's lottery scam and money laundering, ultimately resulting in his conviction for a range of serious crimes.

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Recent questions

  • How did the U.S. government target the mafia?

    By dismantling the mafia through targeting the heads of the five families.

  • Who was the real boss of the Genovese family?

    Vincent Giganti, who pretended to be mentally ill.

  • What led to Vincent Gigante's downfall?

    Gigante's act of mental illness was exposed.

  • How did the FBI gather evidence against Gigante?

    Through detailed surveillance and key witness cooperation.

  • How did the FBI disrupt the Bonano family?

    By infiltrating with an agent and gathering intelligence.

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Summary

00:00

Mafia Bosses Targeted in NYC Investigation

  • By the mid-1980s, five mafia families controlled New York City through construction, transportation, and labor unions.
  • The U.S. government planned to dismantle the mafia by targeting the heads of the five families, including Carmine Persico and Paul Castellano.
  • Attorney Rudolf Giuliani led the prosecution against the mafia bosses, using the RICO law to convict them.
  • In 1986, the bosses were found guilty of mass criminal conspiracy and sentenced to a hundred years in prison.
  • FBI's special Mafia task force celebrated the victory, but agent John Pritchard suspected they had targeted the wrong man, Fat Tony Salerno.
  • Vincent Cafaro revealed that Salerno was a decoy, and the real boss of the Genovese family was Vincent Giganti.
  • Giganti had fooled the FBI for years by pretending to be mentally ill, using hospital visits as a cover.
  • Pritchard launched a new investigation into Giganti, increasing surveillance and targeting his associates.
  • Giganti's act of mental illness was exposed when he was seen in a tailored suit, leading to a new push to prove his true role.
  • Pritchard delved into Giganti's past, uncovering his elaborate scheme to avoid prosecution by feigning mental illness and orchestrating hospital visits.

21:34

The Gigante Investigation: Unraveling Mafia Secrets

  • The investigation into Vincent Gigante's criminal activities intensifies as the team aims to prove his leadership of the family.
  • Detectives Vendetti and Burke are ambushed during a routine surveillance operation, leading to Vendetti's death and Burke's injury.
  • Agent Pritchard decides to confront Gigante at the Triangle Club, where Gigante drops his act upon realizing the seriousness of the situation.
  • Pritchard's team discovers Gigante's secret residence at his mistress Olympia Esposito's apartment, leading to detailed surveillance.
  • Gigante's behavior inside the apartment is recorded, revealing his normal activities and interactions, dispelling the notion of his insanity.
  • A failed attempt to bug Gigante's residence tips him off, leading him to feign mental illness and check into a mental institution.
  • Lawyer Greg O'Connell takes over the investigation, uncovering a major narcotics ring and gaining a key witness, Bobby Faranga, to cooperate.
  • Faranga's revelations lead to the discovery of multiple homicide victims disposed of by the Genovese mob, implicating Gigante.
  • Peter Savino's cooperation and testimony, along with evidence from the windows cartel operation, solidify the case against Gigante.
  • Gigante is found guilty of racketeering and conspiracy, sentenced to 15 years in prison, and later indicted for obstruction of justice before his death in 2005.

43:58

Undercover FBI agent infiltrates Mafia, disrupts operations.

  • Sunny Black and Brasco develop a close friendship, leading to Brasco's recommendation for induction into the Bonano family.
  • Brasco's infiltration as an FBI agent into the Bonano family is unprecedented in New York's crime history.
  • Ceno recognizes the danger of Brasco's inside knowledge to the Bonano organization.
  • Sonny Black's trust in Brasco undoes the secrecy and loyalty foundations of the Bonano family.
  • The execution of Anthony Mira by his cousin signifies the importance of loyalty in the Mafia.
  • Brasco's information leads to the downfall of the Bonano family and the conviction of Joe Messino.
  • The FBI's successful decimation of the Bonano family disrupts the Mafia's operations significantly.
  • Salvatore Vitali, Messino's second in command, evades indictment and continues criminal activities.
  • Messino's reemergence after prison sees him rebuilding the Bonano family with Vitali's help.
  • The FBI's struggle to gather intelligence on the Bonano family allows Messino to strengthen his crime empire.

01:05:32

Financial investigation uncovers lottery scam and money laundering.

  • Salad and McCaffrey subpoena Joe Messino's accountant for financial records dating back 10 years.
  • They examine bank records, credit card statements, and all documents related to Messino and Vitali's corporations.
  • The investigation involves sifting through a large amount of paperwork and spreadsheets.
  • Salad and McCaffrey meticulously analyze every document line by line, viewing each piece of information as intelligence.
  • They uncover suspicious transactions where Messino and his wife won the New York State Lottery multiple times.
  • The scam involves Messino having lottery sellers leak winners' names to him before claiming the prize.
  • Checks made out to Barry Weinberg for $25,000 each are found, revealing a money laundering scheme.
  • Weinberg's cooperation is secured by revealing his tax evasion of $14 million, leading to incriminating conversations.
  • Vitali's testimony leads to Messino's conviction on multiple charges, including murder, extortion, and racketeering.
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